TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Stanford softball team scored in double-digits for the third straight game on its way to an 11-0 blanking of UTEP Sunday afternoon. The Cardinal finished the Kajikawa Classic with a 4-2 record.
Stanford’s (4-2) Haley Snyder (2-2) won for the second time this weekend behind a four-inning, three-hit effort. Snyder gave way to Kylie Sorenson to finish the final inning after the Cardinal went up by 11.
The Cardinal plated three in the first and another in the second, but it was not until the fifth inning when the bats broke open the game. Stanford batted around in the fifth, scoring seven times, to get to the mercy-rule difference. The frame was highlighted by freshman catcher Victoria Molina, who came off the bench to hit a three-run home run in the first at-bat of her career.
Ten Stanford players had hits, including eight of the nine starters. Sophomore second baseman Lauren Bertoy led the squad with a 2-for-2 outing. Eight players had one RBI with Molina the only Cardinal to drive in more than two off of six UTEP (0-5) hurlers.
The offense was also aided by six walks, two hit batters and three UTEP errors.
The Miners only had four hits, two of which came from six-hole hitter Courtney Clayton.
Stanford is at home next weekend for the Stanford Nike Invitational Friday-Sunday. The Cardinal opens the tournament Friday against Cal Poly at 3 p.m. PT and No. 3 Alabama at 5:30 p.m. PT.
